21W.747 Sec 1 Classical Rhetoric and Modern Political Issues Class Introduction Class 1 AgendaEnrollmentClass Content StructureRead the HeavyweightsAnalyzeAnalyze RhetoricHealth CareHealth CareHealth CareLearn Rhetorical TechniquesDifferentiate Between “Good & “Bad” RhetoricLearn to Recognize BullshitLearn the Dangers of BullshitThe AssignmentsDefining RhetoricDefining RhetoricRhetoric is bothWho is Les Perelman?Born in West HollywoodUC Berkeley ’70Ph.D. in Medieval StudiesPost Doc In Rhetoric & Linguistics at USCTaught at Tulane in New OrleansHave Been At MIT For 23 YearsCurrent Research is on Trashing the SAT Writing TestNow Back to Enrollment21W.747 Sec 1Classical Rhetoric and Modern Political IssuesClass IntroductionClass 1Les Perelman, Ph. D.Figures removed due to copyright restrictions.Agenda• Enrollment• Description of the Class• What is Rhetoric, anyway?• Short Biography of Instructor• Introduction to Classical Rhetoric• EnrollmentEnrollment• 18 student maximum• Call “official roll”• Students not on roll will enter lottery• Lottery students may be added at start of class on MondayClass Content• Classical Rhetoric • Modern Politics• Background of classical rhetoricStructure• Background of Classical Rhetoric• Great Practitioners • Current IssuesRead the Heavyweights• Aristotle•Plato• Marcus Tullius CiceroAnalyze• Advertizements• Political Speeches• DebatesAnalyze RhetoricHealth CareHealth CareHealth CareLearn Rhetorical Techniques• The Topics• Figures of Thought• Figures of StyleDifferentiate Between “Good & “Bad” RhetoricLearn to Recognize BullshitLearn the Dangers of BullshitThe Assignments• Two Postings– First one due this Sunday at 5 pm• Three minute oral presentation• One group rhetorical analysis papers• Two individual papers • One persuasive oral presentation• Team Debate on topics selected by class & instructorDefining Rhetoric• Plato: Rhetoric is "the art of winning the soul by discourse."• Aristotle: Rhetoric is "the faculty of discovering in any particular case all of the available means of persuasion.”• Cicero: Rhetoric is “speech designed to persuade.’"• Quintillian: "Rhetoric is the art of speaking well."• Francis Bacon: Rhetoric is the application of reason to imagination "for the better moving of the will."• George Campbell: “[Rhetoric] is that art or talent by which discourse is adapted to its end. The four ends of discourse are to enlighten the understanding, please the imagination, move the passion, and influence the will.”Defining Rhetoric• John Locke: [Rhetoric,] that powerful instrument of error and deceit.• Sappho: Persuasion is Aphrodite's daughter: it is she who beguiles our mortal heartsRhetoric is both• Seduction• Consensus buildingWho is Les Perelman?Born in West HollywoodUC Berkeley ’70Ph.D. in Medieval Studies•Beowulf– Not the MoviePost Doc In Rhetoric & Linguisticsat USCTaught at Tulane in New OrleansHave Been At MIT For 23 YearsCurrent Research is on Trashing the SAT Writing TestNow Back to EnrollmentMIT OpenCourseWarehttp://ocw.mit.edu 21W.747 Classical Rhetoric and Modern Political DiscourseFall 2009For information about citing these materials or our Terms of Use, visit: